


Warm Me Up

by dreaminkwaii, markhyuckfest



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 23:45:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16670671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreaminkwaii/pseuds/dreaminkwaii, https://archiveofourown.org/users/markhyuckfest/pseuds/markhyuckfest
Summary: Prompt number:#MH108Side Pairings (if any):NoneWarnings:NoneSummary:To thaw the ice, all they need is each other.





	Warm Me Up

**Author's Note:**

> **Author Note:** I swear I had the cutest plot in mind but my fingers tapped away and somehow this fic was born. To the prompter, thank you for this wonderful prompt. It tickles my fancy imagining waiter!Mark. If the outcome isn't like how you imagined it, I'm sorry (but I really hope you like it.)

The sweet melody of classical music giving off a relaxing ambience inside, befitting the luxury the restaurant holds. Business men and elegant ladies enjoying their evening, showing off their richness to the world. Small chatters resonated the calm restaurant, controlled laughter and business proposals could be heard left and right. Decorating their bodies with luxuries accessories and fitted on their body were designer wear. Mark observed each and every customer he served for, finding one to be different than the rest, sticking out like a sore thumb.

            Standing in waiting for his call, he stared long at the young man sitting alone on the table near the big window. Every once in a while, he would turn his head around, as if looking for someone. The young man only ever had plain water all evening, waiting for the one to spend his time with. He emptied out his glass and being a trained waiter, Mark made his way to him, refilling his glass with water again. When asked if he’s ready to order, his only respond was ‘I’m waiting for someone’. Mark smiled weakly, nodding his head to the reply and leaving with his heart aching at the short conversation.

            _He forgot about me._

            The young man had a very sorrowful expression, his eyes were watery, and his head hung low from the negative thoughts burdening his mind. Mark anger boils at the thought of someone stood him up, making him look like a fool like this. If he’d ever got the chance to be on the other end, he wouldn’t ever let someone as ethereal as him wait on longer than he deserves. Mark sighed, trying his hardest to control his anger. He was still on call, one slip up and there’ll be no mercy for him. Even though he waited on others, his eyes would always fall on the table next to the big window. At times, following the gaze of the young man, hoping to finally see the one responsible to make him wait this long. No luck.

            The night falls deeper and still no sight of the one he was waiting. Business men and ladies alike started to leave after an enjoyable evening, emptying out the restaurant until only the young man was left. Mark saw the young man taking in his last sip, his other hand curled and fisted perhaps controlling in his anger. The young man left the now empty restaurant and Mark heaved a sigh of relief. All evening Mark had wished for him to just leave and not wait on that person. He or she wasn’t worth his time. _Donghyuck is more than that._

            Mark clocked out and after he had changed his clothes to his own attire, he left the restaurant. His eyes widen as he saw a familiar figure sitting out near the entrance, waiting in the cold once again. His ears had turned red and Mark could see him shivering from the low temperature of late December. Mark had his eyes fixed on the young man, he saw how his lips were blue, and his nose turned red. Mark took out a heat pack from his pocket, handing it to the shivering young man.

            “Here.” He said, hovering the hot pack next to the young man’s face, catching his attention.

            The young man looked at it long and hard, contemplating whether to take it or not when he finally replied, “I don’t need it.”

            “Same as ever.” Mark muttered under his breath. “Just take it.” He tossed the heat pack directly to young man, earning him a glare from the latter.

            The young man extended his hand with the hot pack in his grip. With his shivering hand, he intended to give the hot pack back to Mark. “I don’t need your –”

            “Pity. I know.” Mark cut him off, “I’m not pitying you right now.” He lied, but a little white lie won’t hurt anyone. “Just take it. I have plenty more.” Another white lie – that was his last one but Donghyuck didn’t need to know that.

            Mark walked away, leaving the young man behind to continue waiting on his date – he could saw it from the nice clothes Donghyuck wore and the sweet smell of perfume wafted to his nose – wallowing in despair alone. He had been proud of himself, perhaps this time he really had moved on. Moved on from his first love, Donghyuck.

            “Take this money.” He felt a small grip circling his wrist and as he looked behind his eyes met with a pair of strong ones, not giving any hint of weakness at all. The young man stashed money inside Mark’s pocket and left to sit near the entrance once again.

            A green note slipped inside his pocket, an amount to high for one single hot pack. Mark growled, annoyed at the level of ego Donghyuck have. _Still the same as ever._ He monologued, leaving Donghyuck behind and stepping inside the nearest convenience store. He angrily snatched on all the hot packs available on the shelf, buying an extra pair of socks too and slammed the ten thousand won note on the cashier counter. He grabbed a bottle of hot chocolate milk too – something he remembered Donghyuck used to like – and stormed his way back to his work place.

            As soon as he arrived, he noticed the young man was gone, leaving him with a plastic bag full of stuff meant for him. His eyes fell on the items in his hand and the image of poor pitiful Donghyuck walking back home alone in the cold tugged Mark’s heartstring so hard he had to place a soothing hand on his chest. Mark didn’t know whether he should heave a sigh of relief or yell out in exasperation but one thing for sure, he knows he hadn’t forgotten his first love yet.

            Suddenly, he heard someone sneezed from behind the extended stairs of the entrance way. There sitting with a hot pack cupped to his face was Donghyuck, ears and nose redder than before. Mark let out an exasperated sigh instead. The young man was still there, still waiting. Mark walked closer to him and his appearance was a surprised to Donghyuck, seeing as his eyes widen and mouth agape.

            “I thought you went home!” The young man yelled out.

            “Are you crazy?! Do you think one single hot pack cost ten thousand won!?” Mark yelled back, shoving the plastic bag to Donghyuck’s face. “Here, I bought some stuff. I kept the balance for that hot pack in your hand.”

            With shivering hands, Donghyuck grabbed the plastic and rummaged the inside of it, finding a lot of boxes of hot pack. “Where do you think this is!? Alaska!?” He barked, “I don’t need this many hot packs!”

            “Shut up!” Mark hissed, clicking his tongue right after. Mark eyes followed Donghyuck as he took a box of hot pack and fiddling with it. He fiddled with it for a long time, his hands were probably numb from the cold out. With one swift movement, Mark snatched the box from Donghyuck’s hands, “Give it.” And helped him open them. Mark helped shake the hot packs and placed it directly in Donghyuck’s hands. His hands were icy cold, and Mark could feel his heart ache again. Grabbing the plastic bag from Donghyuck’s side, he knelt and took out a pair of socks he bought. He reached for Donghyuck’s shoes and took them off. Even Donghyuck’s feet were cold.

            “What do you think you’re doing?” Donghyuck raised his voice, bewildered a stranger had the guts to take off his shoes on their first time meeting each other. Donghyuck struggled to free himself but a sharp, low groan from Mark telling him to sit still caused Donghyuck to stop squirming around.

            Mark placed two hot packs on the sole of Donghyuck’s left and right foot, slipping in the socks right after. “Who was the guy whom you waited so desperately for? Was he nice?” He slipped back in Donghyuck’s shoes, taking another box of hot packs and placed the packs on his shin. “Seeing you like this, he’s probably a douchebag.” Mark took off his muffler and wrapped it around Donghyuck’s neck, making sure to keep his nose and ears warm and cosy. “What do you see in him anyway?”

            “Wh-What do you think you’re doing?” Donghyuck stuttered in his words, flustered at Mark’s gentle manner. “And no. He’s not who you think he is. He’s just a guy my friend set me up for a blind date. I was just being court and also just so I can have a solid excuse for my friends to stop setting me up with jerks.”

            The corner of his lips lifted into a smile, happy to know the guy meant nothing to Donghyuck. “Roasting a potato with all the hot packs I got for Alaska.” Mark replied sarcastically. Shoving Donghyuck a warm bottle of milk he bought earlier.

            “Wow.” Donghyuck cooed, his tone clearly hints at the dry joke Mark made. “You’re calling me a hot potato then? Should I take that as a compliment?” Donghyuck snapped open the bottle and took a few gulps, feeling the warm liquid down his insides. “You know what, I will take that as a compliment. Thanks boy.”

            “It’s Mark.”

            “Thanks Mark.”

            “I’m going now.” Mark announced, taking his leave. He had done enough for Donghyuck and he don’t leave now, when will he ever will?

            “Wait!” Donghyuck called out and on cue Mark heard a faint rumbling from behind. He turned around and saw Donghyuck holding his stomach with a coy expression on his face. “Buy me dinner, please.”

            _I will never be able to leave, will I?_

            “Fine. Follow me.” Mark growled.

            Their walk was a silent one, one wasn’t willing to talk while one didn’t know how to start the conversation. Mark could feel the heated stared from beside him, Donghyuck probably had a million questions for him but, he kept his earphone on, although he didn’t connect it to his phone. Each step Mark took Donghyuck had to take two. Noticing the younger to be struggling to keep up with him, Mark slowed his pace, matching Donghyuck’s. He could feel the joy Donghyuck radiated, listening through his hoax earphone as he hummed away.

            Mark stopped near a food truck – a variety of street food displayed in front of their eyes. Spicy rice cakes, skewered fishcakes, bacon wrapped sausages, pan fired dumplings and many more. Mark glanced at Donghyuck who was drooling from the sight of food.

            “Wipe your drool, boy.”

            Donghyuck wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his coat, “It’s not boy. It’s Donghyuck.” He said and proceed to take a stick of skewered fishcake.

            “Whatever.” _I know that already._

            Mark watched as Donghyuck gobbled down everything in sight, satisfying his hunger. Instead of being disgusted or baffled, Mark helped Donghyuck stuff more food inside his mouth, giving him a cup of water whenever it looked like Donghyuck choked on his food. At times, Donghyuck would ask Mark to ask the aunty to refill his cup with warm soup, stuffing more fishcakes in his face. Out of habit, Mark feed Donghyuck some of the spicy rice cakes – something he often do for the younger man before – and Donghyuck took it without feeling uncomfortable at all. Mark wondered whether Donghyuck really forgot about him or is he pretending to. _Must be his muscle memory._ Mark chuckled at his own statement, causing Donghyuck to whip his head around to meet his eyes.

            “Why are you laughing?”

            Mark had no way to explain what was going on in his head, the precious memories he had with Donghyuck before – the memories Donghyuck probably had forgotten. “I uh… I saw your friends…”

            “What?! Where?!” Donghyuck jumped on his feet, trying so desperately to hide himself. He opted to bury his face inside Mark’s chest, crossing all his fingers so his friends wouldn’t see him.

            “Here.” Mark said, pointing at the stack of hot potatoes the aunty roasted earlier. “Your friends.” Mark giggled, his face scrunched up from the amusement. His lame excuse for a joke earned him a beating from Donghyuck. Mark struggled to stop the set of punches from coming his way in between his fit of giggles, circling Donghyuck’s wrists, but he failed. Irritated, Mark ended up wrapping Donghyuck around in his embrace, face front. He snugged his head on Donghyuck’s shoulder, still giggling from his joke. When he felt Donghyuck tensed under him, his laughter died, and he let Donghyuck go.

            The awkwardness hung heavy in the air, with each of them eating the street food in silence. The precious memories flooded Mark and Mark wanted nothing but to confront Donghyuck about their past, about them. All he wanted to say was ‘Donghyuck, do you remember me?’ ‘Do you remember this is the food truck we frequent when we were together?’ ‘Do you still remember all our happy memories?’ _Do you want to relive those memories with me?_ His hand was fisted, gathering all the courage he had for this one moment. One sentence and perhaps they could bring back the good old days. Just one sentence.

            “Aunty, how much is all this?” Was what left his lips. Mark really wanted to slap himself right that moment. He handed the total to the food truck vendor, muttering stupid under his breath for missing such a precious moment – a moment he’ll probably never get back.

            After leaving the food truck, Mark let Donghyuck lead him to anywhere he wanted, half of it was because he didn’t want to part with the young man yet. Their walk was a long one, walking in small steps, with shoulders brushing next to each other. the view of Han River came in sight and they sat on one of the benches, surrounded by loving couples. Mark wanted to make a remark about this but Donghyuck stayed silent, unwrapping the muffler around his neck and giving it back to Mark. “Thank you for today, Mark.” Donghyuck’s breath hitched at the roll of his name, a name he had been trying so hard to forget.

            “You know me, don’t you?” Mark grabbed the hand with the muffler, circling them tight, afraid Donghyuck would run away. “Donghyuck.”

            “No I don’t.” Donghyuck replied in a hush tone with his head hung low.

            “Don’t lie.” Mark growled, tightening the grip around Donghyuck’s wrist. When he saw how Donghyuck winced in pain did he loosen it a little, muttering words of apology over and over again.

            “What are you sorry for?” Donghyuck pulled his arm back, placing a soothing hand on his wrist. That would surely bruise. “Are you sorry for this or for the past?” Donghyuck didn’t intend for his words to come out venomous but he couldn’t suppress the bitter feelings he felt. “I tried so hard to forget about you. To move on. To pretend nothing ever happen. To treat you as a stranger… but the memories kept flowing, flooding my mind and confusing me to the point that I think I am still in love with you. Everything I ever loved about you stayed the same, Mark…”

            “Donghyuck…”

            “I wish for the past to be buried. Let’s leave the lingering feelings behind…”

            Donghyuck’s words were like knives to Mark, ripping his heart out each time they were spoken. The past they ever had, the big fight they gone through, the heart break they experienced. Even until now, Mark couldn’t exactly put his finger on why they parted. “Donghyuck, I –”

            “We were two person who met at the wrong place, fell in love at the wrong time.” Donghyuck lifted his head, a sad smile plastered on his face as his eyes were filled with tears. “But what to do… I think I’m still in love with you.”

            Mark breath hitched, his chest ached so much for the young man in front of him. He wanted nothing but to hug him and whispered sweet nothings to him. His eyes cast down on his love, breathing in the sight of someone so beautiful, so ethereal and Mark wondered why he ever let someone precious like Donghyuck go. Seeing his love one hunched, shoulders sometimes moved up and down, trying so hard to stifle the cry. Mark let his desire control him, caging in his conscience.

            “You should wear this.” Mark said as he slings the muffler around Donghyuck’s nape, pulling him closer and closer. “Your nose and ears are turning red again.” Mark said in low hush, inching in closer to Donghyuck. Their eyes met for a short moment, but it felt like an eternity for the two broken hearts.

            “Warm me up, then.” Donghyuck fluttered his eyes closed, hinting Mark to give him the warmth he craved for so long. The kiss was a gentle one, full of love and care for the only young man who had captured his heart. Mark reluctantly pulled away, lifting both of his hands to cup Donghyuck’s cheek, thumbs wiping away the spilled tears. With his forehead against Donghyuck’s, Mark confessed “Me too” countless times and pulled Donghyuck in his embrace.

            Pulling away, Mark took Donghyuck’s hand in his, intertwining and locking them tightly. “I’ll walk you home.” Mark could feel Donghyuck’s hand trembling, so he made a soothing circle on Donghyuck’s palm – a habit he used to do to calm Donghyuck in the past. He could feel Donghyuck relaxed as he walked closer and closer to him, alas clinging onto his arm. A warm smile spread on Mark’s face, bliss clearly evident.

            The walk back home was a pleasant one as familiar scenery filled their sight – the same street, the same stairs and the same route. A few more steps and Donghyuck’s house will be around the corner. One step. Two steps. Three steps. Four steps. They have arrived at Donghyuck’s doorstep, something the both of them dreaded all throughout the walk.

            “Go.” Mark tried to be the better lover. “It’s cold outside. You better get yourself warmed up.”

            Donghyuck fidgeted in his place, hands playing with the seam of his muffler. “Do you…” His head hung low, Mark could see the furious blush on Donghyuck’s ears. “Do you want t-to come inside? I- I noticed yo-your nose and ears are red.”

            Mark lips curled upwards, amused at Donghyuck’s bold invitation. “If I do, will you _warm me up?_ ”


End file.
